Day 39 **Bonus Post** - Calon Lân

‘[…] and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

(Isaiah 9:6b)

What can I give Him,

Poor as I am? —

If I were a Shepherd

I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man

I would do my part, —

Yet what I can I give Him, —

Give my heart.

(A Christmas Carol, Christina Rossetti, 1872)

Nid wy'n gofyn bywyd moethus, I don't ask for a luxurious life,

Aur y byd na'i berlau mân: The world's gold or its fine pearls:

Gofyn wyf am galon hapus, I ask for a happy heart,

Calon onest, calon lân. An honest heart, a pure heart.

(Calon Lân, Daniel James, 1890s)

Nowadays we often think of peace as an absence of war, but the Biblical meaning is much deeper. The shalom and eirene of the Bible evoke a holistic state of completeness with everything in its rightful place.

This deep, and often yearned for, peace finds gentle expression in both of the chosen verses above; the words we today know as In the bleak midwinter by Christina Rossetti (the many versions of which were explored by Catherine in this morning’s reflection), and Daniel James’ much-loved hymn, Calon Lân.

Rossetti’s poem paints a stark scene of winter’s scarcity, perhaps emblematic of not just the season itself but also those moments in life when warmth and comfort seem distant. Poignant words as Rossetti herself was beset by problems, both physical and mental, throughout her life. Yet in the poem, amid the cold and poverty of the stable, peace is found in humility and love. The message is clear – whatever we have, offering our hearts to the Lord is the way to peace. If we do this, the quiet, gentle acceptance of circumstance, and the lifting of love above material wealth, glows as a warming light bringing tranquillity to life’s harshness.

This theme of love over materialism was echoed some twenty years later in Calon Lân, in which an honest heart is placed above the worldly riches provided by gold and pearls. Peace is not to be found in outward wealth or success, the author insists, but rather in serenity, integrity, and kindness. The gentle melody of the accompanying tune written by John Hughes enhances the lyrics, encouraging the listener in self-reflection.

Although Victorian in composition, both works offer a timeless lesson; that peace exists within adversity and is found through a purity of heart. Together, the poems remind us that even in the harshest winter, both literal and metaphorical, peace and serenity can be nurtured through humility, selflessness, and the pursuit of goodness - existing not as the absence of struggle, but as a presence of grace within.

A grace found through the loving embrace of the Prince of Peace, whose birth we shall celebrate in a few short weeks.

Dear Lord,

In the dark quietness of winter’s chill, the hustle and bustle of the modern world,

and the simplicity of a pure heart,

grant us a peace that surpasses all earthly understanding.

May we offer what we have - our hearts -

and seek not riches, but honesty, kindness, and serenity.

Let love and humility be our light,

so that, even in hardship, Your peace may dwell within us.

Amen.

Gwyn Davies